


King and Lionheart

by ab2fsycho



Series: Hold My Tea and Watch This [35]
Category: Guardians of Childhood - William Joyce, Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: M/M, So here we are, and realize that all this actually happened, excuse me while i have a heart attack, the end of the road
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-05
Updated: 2013-09-05
Packaged: 2017-12-25 17:06:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/955612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ab2fsycho/pseuds/ab2fsycho
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Things are back to normal in the lair . . . well . . . sort of.</p><p>Pitch will never stop being . . . himself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	King and Lionheart

**Author's Note:**

> Title is an Of Monster and Men song that for some reason struck me as very BlackIce. A nice BlackIce, though. Like, not killing each other and things. Shut up Alex.

“Pitch, really?”

“He started it.” Jack groaned, realizing he wasn’t going to win this argument with the Nightmare King. “Your first believer decided that the best way to reassure my continued absence in the dreams of children was to tell everyone all they had to do was believe in Jack Frost. So naturally, I decided that those who still didn’t believe in you weren’t safe from my Nightmares.”

“I am not telling Jamie about this. I sure as hell am not telling the other Guardians,” Jack said, pointing at the Boogeyman. The Nightmare King smirked from the shadows of his lair triumphantly. “Wipe that grin off your face.”

“At least I haven’t sent that darling sister of his any bad dreams. North should refrain from gifting her with snow globes. She has no concept of self-preservation.”

Jack snorted at that. It had been a few months since Pillan’s defeat, and things had actually started to seem normal again. Well, almost. Mother Nature had started visiting every now and then. Jack had watched her skin color change from a variety of greens to a series of yellows, reds, and browns during autumn. When winter finally rolled around, her true skin tone appeared: a fair white that was just a shade livelier than Jack’s pallor. Watching Mother Nature was as beautiful as watching the seasons, and the only person who watched her more had to be the kangaroo. She spent more time with Bunny, Jack was sure, but was slowly becoming reacquainted with her father’s home. 

Another not-so-normal occurrence began shortly after Jamie and Sophie returned to school. Sophie had decided she was going to torment Pitch about as much as she teased Bunny. It had been disturbing for Pitch to find the blonde child wandering his corridors. Meanwhile, it had been hilarious to Jack. When Pitch threatened to send her a Nightmare, neither Sophie nor Jack seemed to believe him. After a while, it seemed the Nightmare King had secretly grown fond of the girl, and the girl was starting to like the ‘power’ she had over the Boogeyman. Having a believer did Pitch some good.

But Jack wasn’t quite sure how to take Pitch’s new hobby.

“I actually like his reasoning. Scare them into believing. Some of them are actually smart enough to fear something, which surprises me,” Sera stepped up. She now had a group of butterflies flitting about her head, landing on her hair or shoulders every so often. Jack hadn’t quite gotten used to that, just as Pitch was still getting used to seeing Bunny’s aster behind his daughter’s ear.

“Don’t encourage him,” Jack said, pointing at her this time. She held up her hands in mock surrender.

“Admit it: the idea of rescuing new believers from the tendrils of the Boogeyman appeals to you.” Pitch looked entirely too pleased with himself for Jack to condone his behavior, but Jack was done arguing over the subject. Pitch was going to do what he wanted and so was Jack. And so far, Pitch hadn’t caused enough trouble with his Nightmares to warrant Guardian interference. Therefore, there was technically nothing to worry about.

“As entertaining as you two are, I’ve got somewhere to be,” Sera interrupted. “A blizzard is calling my name in Connecticut. You should join me when you get the chance, baby Guardian.” With that, she tapped her foot twice and a tunnel opened up.

Jack thought it was cool that one of the perks she’d received upon entering a relationship with the kangaroo was unlimited access to his tunnel system. Pitch, however, looked terribly annoyed every time she used it in front of him. That didn’t seem to stop her. In fact, it just might encourage her to do it. While most of their problems were resolved, she still antagonized her father in small ways. To save her from Pitch’s intense scowls, Jack asked, “Still haven’t started flying again?”

“I’ll pick it up when I’m ready. After all, it’s been hundreds of years. Wouldn’t want to start off glued to trees or tripping into villages like someone else we know.”

“Okay, who told you that?” Jack asked as she jumped down into the tunnel laughing. His gaze switched from where Sera had once been to Pitch, who had stopped scowling and started smiling like he knew something Jack didn’t. “What is with you guys? Is it my turn to be the butt of the jokes? And seriously! How do you know that?”

“Careful research.”

“You mean stalking.”

“Such rude terminology, yet it means exactly the same thing.”

“No, it really doesn’t.” 

“Aww, the Guardian of Fun is no fun at all.” Pitch’s final jest only made Jack growl and turn his back on the Boogeyman. He sat on the edge of the stone bridge they were standing on, looking across the lair. He folded his arms, feeling very put out by Pitch’s antics. He knew the Nightmare King couldn’t help what his center was. He lived on fear, after all. He knew that Pitch was actually doing well staying under the Guardians’ radar. His strategy wasn’t as bad as Jack made it out to be, but it bothered him anyway. Despite all that, he sighed and relaxed as soon as Pitch came to rest his head on top of Jack’s. The youngest Guardian leaned back into the Nightmare King’s chest, letting his warmth soak into him. They truly sucked at being mad at each other. After a few moments of silence, Pitch took on a more serious tone and whispered, “I want to give you something.”

“What’s that?” Jack asked skeptically.

The Nightmare King’s jaw moved awkwardly as he continued resting his chin on Jack’s head and speaking at the same time. “It’s actually less of a gift and more of a symbol of my trust. To other immortals, it would be a sign that you’re under my protection.”

“You’re sure you want to give it to me, then? You really don’t have to—.”

“I am absolutely sure.”

Pitch’s assurance forced another sigh out of Jack Frost. After a moment of consideration, he answered, “Then I accept.” Pitch’s warmth left him momentarily as the Boogeyman readied the gift. Jack briefly questioned his decision, but was soon distracted by the feeling of something sliding around his neck. When he felt Pitch clasp the thing into place, he looked down and picked up the necklace now resting around his neck and on his chest. It was a locket, and it was about the size of his palm. Curiosity plucked at him, and he went to open it. He coaxed it open and found a hand drawn portrait inside. It took him mere seconds to recognize the face of the girl staring back at him. He looked up at Pitch. “Seraphina?”

The Nightmare King nodded. “I know you’ll keep it safe.”

Jack smiled, looking back at the locket before closing it. He let it rest on his chest, tempted to tuck it into his sweater for added security. For now, though, he kept it out. “Thank you.”

Jack stood up on the ledge, which gave him some height advantage over Pitch. Turning to face his Boogeyman, he pulled Pitch to him and hugged his neck. Pitch smiled, wrapping his arms around Jack’s waist and resting his head on Jack’s chest. The Guardian held him there, letting Pitch’s warmth flood him once more. He smiled into Pitch’s hair, wishing he had something of his own he could give his Boogeyman. Somehow he knew what Pitch would tell him if he voiced his wish.

He already had Jack Frost. All of Jack Frost. What more did he need?



Pitch pulled back just enough to lean his head back and kiss his Jack. He was suddenly, uncharacteristically thrown back to the way in which their relationship had begun: the Nightmare King’s lips on Jack Frost’s, saving the boy from a bleak end. Ever since he’d saved Jack, he’d had to get used to the additional chill in his lair. Along with a great many other things.

Pitch found the cold pleasant. It was cool in his shadows, so he felt at home with the winter spirit by his side. Jack had been hard-pressed to leave Pitch’s side when winter returned. Eventually, he’d become retaken with his duties as the Guardian of Fun. Sometimes Pitch tasted the boy’s fear of losing the Boogeyman. Jack’s fear still tended to make him ill. 

However, he had all but ceased to sense fear in the boy whenever Pitch touched the Guardian’s wrists. It helped to know that he’d finally broken Jack’s phobia. It made things easier when he wanted to cajole Jack into his bed. Not that he needed much cajoling. Pitch smiled against Jack’s lips. Getting the boy in his bed definitely sounded like a good idea at the moment.

“I love you.” Pitch’s heart sputtered to a halt as the words left his lips involuntarily. He ceased to breathe until he opened his eyes and noticed Jack was looking down at him.

The smile on Jack’s face was enough to make him relax and breathe again. “I love you too,” the Guardian whispered back seconds after.

They didn’t say it often. It was more commonplace for them to tell each other to shut up. But even if they did start saying they loved each other more often, Pitch didn’t think his heart would ever stop leaping each time Jack said he loved him back.

Jack Frost had given Pitch Black many things in the past year. The Nightmare King could only wonder what Jack would do with an eternity by his side.

 

The End

**Author's Note:**

> And it's over. I spent a summer writing about these jerks. It's hard to believe. I guess that's what happens when your OTP consumes you and forces you to sail the ship. That's technically what happened. I didn't choose the fandom life. The fandom life shoved me into a sack and threw me through a portal to Santa's Workshop. Then "Shiver" by Lindzzz happened and I died. Many times.
> 
> Anyway, thank you all for reading. Thank you all for commenting, kudoing, and just generally showing support. It's made the writing process so much nicer. I'm not used to letting people read what I write, and you guys have helped me come out of my shell. You have no idea how much I appreciate that.
> 
> Again, this doesn't mean I'm going to stop writing. I told my partner I was going to stop writing once. He laughed and called me a liar. But I've got some works in progress: a Vampire!AU and a Coffeeshop!AU. Also, I'm editing the entirety of Hold My Tea and Watch This and reposting it as one work for ease of downloading. I'm a big fan of downloading PDFs of works. Fanfiction is what I read when I'm having an awful day. It tends to make me feel better, no matter the content.
> 
> Also, I will always take requests. If there is anything you wish you'd seen or would like to see happen in this series, I will try my best to fulfill your wishes. I am willing to try anything, but if I know I can't do it I'll be sure to tell you too. There's little I can't do, but sometimes that little bit is enough to throw me on the floor and beat the crap out of me. But seriously. Ask me anything. I will answer, either here or on twofacedpsycho, which is my tumblr.
> 
> You can still ask everyone who showed up in this series questions on my tumblr. You'll eventually be able to ask the AU versions of the characters questions. All AUs, requests, the edited compiled version, and my artwork for my 30 Days of BlackIce will be posted on a new series. Because of my obsession with tea, the series will probably be titled Why is Tea Always Gone.
> 
> Thank you all for making my summer beautiful.


End file.
